The winter in Liangzhou Garrison was extremely cold. Heavy snow fell for half the month, and even when it wasn’t snowing heavily, the sun rarely showed itself.

Firewood and coal were in short supply. Fortunately, after the new Liangzhou County Magistrate took office, he proactively dispatched some coal from the county office’s storehouse to the garrison, as a gesture of goodwill toward the Right Army Commander. This new magistrate was quite young and had no family backing. Though he appeared gentle and scholarly, he handled matters very skillfully and thoroughly.

Lin Shuanghe was very satisfied with this new magistrate.

In a blink, two months had passed. The year was drawing to a close, and the New Year would soon arrive. After the New Year, another spring would come. The recruits of Liangzhou Garrison would finally shed their “recruit” status and spend a new year here.

Inside the room, Xiao Jue was speaking with Chiyu and Fei Nu.

“Another letter has arrived from the Prince’s territory,” Chiyu pulled out a letter from his chest and handed it to Xiao Jue. “One letter per month, this is the second one.”

The matter of Lei Hou being captured and imprisoned in the dungeon was known only to the instructors, Chiyu, and a few others, including He Yan. The recruits believed Lei Hou had deserted. Xiao Jue had ordered Lei Hou to continue corresponding with his contact in Jiyang, falsely claiming he had escaped from Liangzhou Garrison and was evading pursuit, asking what he should do next.

The contact in Jiyang was also quite cunning, not directly instructing Lei Hou in the letters, only telling him to hide well and that the master would send someone to retrieve him.

Xiao Jue quickly scanned the letter before passing it to Fei Nu. After Fei Nu and Chiyu read it, their expressions turned grim.

The contact wrote in the letter that since Ri Damuzi had been exposed, their piece in Liangzhou Garrison was now useless. They told Lei Hou to find a way to hide until things settled down, and people from Shuojing would come to get him later. After this letter, they should cease correspondence, as these were troubled times, and if they alerted others and ruined the master’s grand plans, it wouldn’t be something two insignificant individuals could bear responsibility for.

“What should we do?” Chiyu asked. “Does this person mean they won’t send any more letters?”

Xiao Jue said, “Lei Hou is now a discarded piece.”

“But Jiyang…” Fei Nu hesitated before asking, “Commander, do you plan to go to Jiyang?”

“Even without the messenger, just for the fact that Chai Anxi is in Jiyang, I must go there once.” Xiao Jue placed the letter over the burning candle on the table. The flame licked the paper, and in moments, it turned to ashes.

Chai Anxi was once Xiao Zhongwu’s Deputy Commander.

In the Battle of Mingshui, Xiao Zhongwu and his tens of thousands of troops all perished, including his deputy commanders. Chai Anxi’s body was never found on the battlefield, though everyone said he must have died. Years passed, and Xiao Jue had been secretly searching for Chai Anxi’s whereabouts. Now, his efforts had paid off – Chai Anxi hadn’t died but had been living under an assumed identity in Jiyang.

Jiyang was Prince Mong Ji’s territory. Civilians from outside the Great Wei territories needed official travel permits to enter the city. Even with permits, outsiders couldn’t stay long-term. Chai Anxi’s extended residence there explained why others couldn’t track him down.

“But how can we go to Jiyang? If we request official travel permits, Xu Jingfu’s people will easily trace us. Wouldn’t that mean our every move would be controlled by them?” Fei Nu asked.

Xiao Jue turned around, pondered for a moment, and said, “We’ll use another method.”

“What method?” Chiyu asked.

“Find someone who has a permit to Jiyang and exchange identities.”

“This…” Fei Nu looked troubled. When Prince Mong Ji was alive, he strictly controlled visitor access. Even those with permits were recorded in registers with portraits. Moreover, because entering the Prince’s territory was so troublesome, Wei civilians dealt with it by simply avoiding it when possible. Throughout the year, very few people obtained permits to enter Jiyang.

With so few people, strict controls, and the need for someone willing to risk being discovered and permanently banned from entering the territory to exchange identities with Xiao Jue, it was no easy task.

“Leave this matter to Luan Ying to arrange,” Xiao Jue told Chiyu. “Write to Luan Ying immediately and tell him to prepare as soon as possible.”

Chiyu responded, “Yes.”

Just then, someone pushed open the door – it was Lin Shuanghe. Chiyu nodded to him as he stepped aside, “Young Master Lin.”

Lin Shuanghe smiled back at him.

Fei Nu also tactfully withdrew.

“Huaijin, what have you been busy with these days?” Lin Shuanghe waved his fan. “Winter is almost turning to spring, count how many times we’ve met in total?”

“Feeling bored?” Xiao Jue asked. “When Cheng Lisu returns to the capital, you can go with him.”

“Never mind, since I’m already here, why go back?” he said. “When do they depart?”

“In the next couple of days.”

After the Ri Damuzi incident, the Liangzhou Garrison was no longer safe, and changes might come. Cheng Lisu and Song Taotao were unsuited to stay here, so Xiao Jue had already arranged for troops to escort them back to Shuojing in a few days.

The two children naturally refused and caused quite a commotion, but with Xiao Jue taking charge, there was nothing that couldn’t be accomplished. No matter how dissatisfied they were, they had to accept Xiao Jue’s arrangements.

“I won’t mention Cheng Lisu, but that young lady Song Taotao, she’s willing to leave He Yan?” Lin Shuanghe asked incredulously. “She’s practically been inseparable from He Yan, and she’s just obediently going back?”

“Why don’t you go ask her?” Xiao Jue sat down in his chair, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it lazily.

He had been busy for a long while and only got moments of rest.

Cheng Lisu sat on his couch and looked at him: “It’s fine if you ignore me, we’ve known each other for so many years anyway, I won’t hold it against you. But how can you ignore my Sister He? Military matters may be important, but Sister He is important too. Don’t say your brother didn’t warn you – if you keep going like this, when Sister He gets taken away by Chu Zilan, you’ll have nowhere to cry.”

“What relationship do I have with her?” Xiao Jue frowned impatiently, then asked, “What about Chu Zilan?”

Lin Shuanghe rested his chin on his fan handle and said unhurriedly, “I don’t know if it’s a coincidence or what, but this past month, I’ve often seen Sister He talking with Chu Zilan.”

“She’s a young lady who’s been injured and can’t participate in daily training, so she’s naturally bored. As for Chu Zilan, who knows what he’s doing in Liangzhou? It’s been two months, and he hasn’t mentioned when he’s leaving. He’s bored, Sister He’s bored, so they’ve gotten close from spending time together.”

“Anyway, Sister He used to call him ‘Fourth Young Master Chu,’ but a few days ago, I heard her calling him ‘Brother Chu.’ At this rate, are you worried?”

Xiao Jue looked puzzled, “What should I be worried about?”

“Think about it, if Sister He gets taken away by Chu Zilan and works for him instead, Liangzhou Garrison will lose such an unparalleled genius in both civil and military affairs. You’re pushing away a capable assistant.”

Xiao Jue sneered, “You think Liangzhou Garrison has no one else?”

“Well, I’ve never seen a girl like her before,” Lin Shuanghe said. “Chu Zilan has always been good at winning ladies’ hearts. Originally, you’re better-looking than him and more capable, but in terms of personality, he’s gentler and more approachable. When such a good-looking wealthy young master accompanies her tenderly every day, what girl wouldn’t like that?”

“Like?” Xiao Jue’s beautiful eyes narrowed, his voice mocking, “A sixteen-year-old girl, what does she know about liking someone?”

“What’s wrong with being sixteen?” Lin Shuanghe said, “In Shuojing City, how many sixteen-year-old girls are already married!”

“So?” Xiao Jue took a sip of tea and said indifferently, “At sixteen, besides fathers and brothers, how many men has she seen? Having seen so few, how would she know what she likes? Liking peonies after only seeing peonies is different from liking peonies after seeing all flowers.”

“Liking something when you have choices is different from liking something when you don’t.”

“Now you’re being ridiculous,” Lin Shuanghe rolled his eyes, “Most people are ordinary and follow ordinary rules. That’s how it is – getting engaged at sixteen, living a lifetime, and many still end up happy.”

“More are unhappy,” Xiao Jue said, “Common people don’t have choices, but I can have them.”

Lin Shuanghe was completely speechless. He said, “Fine, fine, you can have them. But according to what you’re saying, the only girl who has seen all flowers would be Sister He.”

“Sister He in Liangzhou Garrison hasn’t just seen hundreds of flowers, with tens of thousands of men here, she’s seen thousands of flowers. If after seeing thousands of flowers she likes you, that’s fine, but if after seeing thousands of flowers she falls for Chu Zilan,” Lin Shuanghe said gleefully, “Wouldn’t that be quite a blow to you?”

“You’re overthinking,” Xiao Jue smiled coldly, “Whoever she likes has nothing to do with me. However, Chu Zilan is Xu Jingfu’s chosen son-in-law.”

“She’s welcome to like Chu Zilan,” Xiao Jue’s lips curved slightly, “As long as she’s not afraid of death.”

Lin Shuanghe was stunned.

“Oh right. I almost forgot Chu Zilan belongs to Xu Pingting.”

…

While Lin Shuanghe was talking with Xiao Jue about Chu Zilan, He Yan had just arrived at Chu Zilan’s door.

Ying Xiang welcomed her in with a smile, saying, “Young Master He has arrived.” She glanced behind her and joked, “Young Lady Song didn’t come today, what a relief.”

Song Taotao was very wary of Ying Xiang. Whenever He Yan went to see Chu Zhao, Song Taotao would alertly follow. After all, Ying Xiang was beautifully alluring, with a witty and charming personality, unlike Shen Muxue’s cold and otherworldly demeanor – generally more attractive to men.

“She’s packing,” He Yan smiled, “She’s leaving Liangzhou Garrison in a few days, so she can’t follow me around every day.”

Speaking of this, He Yan had quite a headache. When Song Taotao learned she had to return to Shuojing, she initially threw a huge tantrum, crying and threatening, refusing to leave. She and Cheng Lisu reached an unprecedented agreement, nearly tearing the roof off Liangzhou Garrison. Finally, Xiao Jue personally stepped in to calm the two children, and they agreed to return to the capital with his troops.

That wasn’t all – Song Taotao even tried to take He Yan along.

“Whatever Second Young Master Xiao promised you, my Song family will triple it. Don’t stay in Liangzhou Garrison,” the young lady looked at her disdainfully, “Such a harsh place where you could lose your life at any moment. I heard from Cheng Lisu that you want to achieve merit and establish yourself, but why take this path? Even risking your life here won’t get you promoted even slightly, how pitiful!”

He Yan thought, yes, how pitiful indeed.

“My Song family is different,” Song Taotao said matter-of-factly, “Though my father isn’t all-powerful in the capital, he can still help you. You’ll have better prospects with the Song family than in Liangzhou. As for your military registration, don’t worry, I’ll tell my father, and he’ll find a way to free you.”

He Yan replied, “No, no, I’m fine here in Liangzhou.”

Song Taotao’s gaze was sharp as a knife, “You’re not reluctant to leave because of that maid called Ying Xiang, are you?”

Though young, the girl was quite shrewd. He Yan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “It’s not that. My position in Liangzhou Garrison is special. Young Lady Song, if you want me, you can go directly to Commander Xiao. If Commander Xiao is willing to let me go, I’ll certainly return to the capital with you.”

Would Xiao Jue easily let her go? Of course not. Liangzhou Garrison wasn’t a reserve force for capital officials’ sons-in-law. If they made an exception for her, what would other recruits think? They might decide that rather than working hard, it would be better to curry favor with wealthy young ladies. This way, Liangzhou Garrison wouldn’t need enemies to defeat it – once morale scattered, it would fall apart in a couple of years.

Xiao Jue would never let such a thing happen.

Bringing up Xiao Jue still had quite an impact on the young lady. Song Taotao immediately backed down and stopped mentioning taking He Yan back to the capital.

She entered the room where Chu Zhao was feeding birds.

He Yan found Chu Zilan quite interesting. He spent his days either tending flowers, practicing calligraphy, or feeding birds. He lived like a sixty or seventy-year-old retiree in the capital. Yet he had stayed in Liangzhou Garrison for two months – if he enjoyed such leisure, wouldn’t it be better in the capital? Why come here to suffer where even coal was scarce?

Nevertheless, He Yan still frequently visited Chu Zilan’s room. The reason was simple – Chu Zhao was an extremely patient person, and since He Yan couldn’t participate in daily training at the practice field, listening to Chu Zhao’s “interesting stories” about the capital wasn’t bad. In her previous life, she had always been fighting abroad, and when she returned to Shuojing, He Rufei replaced her. She didn’t know much about the capital’s official circles and barely knew any colleagues. It was fine before, but after handling several matters with Xiao Jue, He Yan deeply understood that to start anew, she needed to know the power dynamics of various factions.

At least she needed to understand the basic layout of the Crown Prince’s faction, Minister Xu’s party, and Xiao Jue’s group.

He Yan learned much from Chu Zhao, and in return, she couldn’t maintain too much hostility towards him, especially since he hadn’t opposed her from the beginning.

Today, Chu Zhao sent Ying Xiang to fetch He Yan to discuss something.

“Brother Chu,” she said.

Chu Zhao put the last bit of bird feed in the feeding bowl. The bird fluttered its wings and made a clear chirp. Such cold weather wasn’t suitable for keeping birds, so Chu Zhao placed all his coal near the birdcage.

He was just as considerate and gentle with the birds.

“You’ve come,” Chu Zhao smiled as he walked to the water basin to wash his hands.

“Brother Chu had Ying Xiang fetch me today, is there something important?” He Yan probed. Usually, it was He Yan who actively sought out Chu Zhao for conversation. It was rare for Chu Zhao to take the initiative, so there must be something significant.

“It’s nothing much,” Chu Zhao smiled and invited He Yan to sit down. “I’ll probably be returning to the capital in a few days. I wanted to bid farewell to Brother He before leaving.”

He Yan was startled: “You’re going back?”

“Yes,” Chu Zhao smiled, “I’ve been in Liangzhou for two months already. The journey is long, and by the time I return, it’ll be spring.” He continued, “These two months in Liangzhou have been interesting, thanks to Brother He’s care.”

“Not at all,” He Yan hurriedly replied, “It’s you who has been taking care of me, if anything.”

“The people coming to escort me should arrive in the next few days,” Chu Zhao smiled, “Since it hasn’t snowed these past few days, how about we set up a pavilion feast on White Moon Mountain and share a farewell drink?”

“The Commander doesn’t allow us to go up the mountain on our own,” He Yan said, troubled. “Besides, Brother Chu knows my alcohol tolerance is poor. If I get drunk, I might cause trouble again.”

Hearing this, Chu Zhao shook his head with a smile, “No matter. We won’t go up the mountain. There’s a pavilion at the foot of White Moon Mountain overlooking the Five Deer River, perfect for viewing the moon. We’ll just stay at the base. As for alcohol, even if you wanted to drink, I don’t have any. We can use tea instead of wine – it’s the thought that counts.”

Put this way, He Yan had no reason to refuse, so she readily agreed: “Of course, that would be fine. Since Brother Chu is leaving, I should certainly accompany you. When is this pavilion feast? I should prepare properly.”

“Tonight would work,” Chu Zhao smiled, “Better than risking snow tonight and having no good moonlight tomorrow.”

He Yan said, “Tonight it is! I’ll talk with Brother Chu all through the night!”

She thought that since Chu Zhao was leaving, who else could explain to her the complex relationships among the officials in the capital? Better to get as much information as possible tonight, as such an opportunity might not come again.

Chu Zhao smiled, “Brother He is decisive.”

“By the way,” He Yan remembered something, “Why is Brother Chu suddenly returning? Didn’t you say before that you’d wait until spring when the weather was warmer? The journey now will be cold.”

“I have no choice,” Chu Zhao smiled somewhat helplessly. “My colleague, Scholar Xu from the Hanlin Academy, is getting married, and I must return to Shuojing for the wedding feast.”

He Yan, who had been warming her hands with a teacup, froze at these words. She felt her palms grow cold and her heart slowly sink, barely able to control her expression.

She forced a smile and asked, “Scholar Xu? Which Scholar Xu?”

“His name is Xu Zhiheng, the eldest son of the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor,” Chu Zhao said curiously. “Haven’t I mentioned him to you before? He’s a very talented and learned man, well-versed in literature.”

The steaming tea seemed to freeze instantly.

He Yan’s fingers curled slightly: “Xu Zhiheng…”

…

He Yan wasn’t sure how she made it back to her room. She couldn’t remember what else Chu Zhao had said. She only remembered desperately trying to keep her emotions from showing, to avoid revealing any weakness.

Back in her room, she almost couldn’t stand steady, having to support herself against the bedpost as she slowly sat down on the couch.

Chu Zhao’s words echoed in her mind.

“Lord Xu was previously married. His brother-in-law was the current General Fei Hong, He Rufei. He Rufei’s cousin, the young lady of the He family, married Xu Zhiheng but went blind from illness after half a year. However, Lord Xu didn’t despise his wife for this, instead seeking out famous doctors and treating her with great care.”

He Yan asked: “Treated her… with great care?”

“Yes, when Lady Xu suggested finding a concubine or another wife of equal status for Lord Xu, he firmly refused. Unfortunately, Lady Xu was ill-fated. This spring, while alone in the mansion, the servants weren’t paying attention, and she accidentally fell into a pond and drowned.”

“It’s been almost a year since Lady Xu passed away. Lord Xu originally told friends and family he would never marry again. But he’s still young, and how could the Xu family let him remain a widower for life? He was so devoted that even his late wife’s family couldn’t bear it. They chose another young lady from the He family to betroth to him, from the second branch, three years younger than the original Lady Xu, only seventeen this year.”

From the He family’s second branch, only seventeen this year… He Yan closed her eyes. That would be her own younger sister.

The He family had calculated everything, perhaps in agreement with Xu Zhiheng. He Yan had to die, but with her death, the marriage ties between the He and Xu families would dissolve – an outcome neither family wanted. Better to exchange one person for another, trading He Yan’s death for a new Lady Xu.

She held her head, feeling as if it might explode.

Suddenly, someone’s voice rang out: “Big Brother? What’s wrong?”

He Yan looked up to see it was Cheng Lisu.

She asked, “Why are you here?”

The young boy said, “I was knocking outside for ages, but no one answered. I thought you weren’t in. I brought you some snacks.” He came forward concernedly, “Big Brother, you look terrible. Is your wound hurting? Should I call Uncle Lin for you?”

He Yan waved her hand and forced a smile, “No need. I just didn’t sleep well yesterday, I’m a bit drowsy.”

Cheng Lisu was simple-minded and didn’t suspect anything, nodding: “Alright.” Then he remembered something and pouted, “Big Brother, you seem to have been very busy these days. I’ll be returning to Shuojing soon, and who knows when we’ll meet again. I learned some puppet theater from Instructor Ma recently. How about I perform for you tonight?”

He Yan’s mind was full of what Chu Zhao had just said and had no interest in Cheng Lisu’s suggestion. Moreover, she remembered her appointment with Chu Zhao, so she shook her head, “Not tonight. I’ve already arranged to watch the moon at the foot of White Moon Mountain with Fourth Young Master Chu.”

“What’s the point of two grown men watching the moon!” Cheng Lisu complained, “Besides, how is the moon better than puppet theater? You can see it every day, what’s so special about it?”

His complaints pulled He Yan’s thoughts back a little. She patiently explained, “It’s not just about watching the moon. Fourth Young Master Chu will be leaving Liangzhou Garrison in a few days, so before he leaves, he wants to have a drink with me.”

“It’s good that you’re close with Fourth Young Master Chu, but don’t forget about me!” Cheng Lisu didn’t know about the undercurrents between Xiao Jue and Chu Zhao. To him, Chu Zhao was just a nice-looking, good-tempered uncle from Shuojing who carried the Emperor’s rewards. He said, “After all, I’ve known you much longer than he has. By all rights, you should be closer to me. Big Brother, you can’t abandon me!”

Such a child, getting jealous over this. He Yan had to coax him: “Alright, I’ll drink with him today and watch your puppet show tomorrow, how’s that?”

Only then was Cheng Lisu satisfied, grinning: “That’s more like it!”